The Arc's Oath
by Prime Arc
Summary: Aura can only protect so far and that's a fact that many people of Remnant forget. When aura stops the question is asked, what is the final line of defense. A young Jaune Arc saw that question answered after witnessing a Grimm attack that left a frontier town crippled. Since then it has been his mission to become the final line of defense between life and death.


Armored gloves nimbly removed a base dust crystal from a pouch. A file shaved a portion of the crystal down, the flakes falling into petri dish. The gloved hands grabbed two glass bottles from the desk and using a syringe extracted the liquid from the bottles. The hands worked diligently, slowly dripping the liquid into the dish and watched as the dust activated with the antibiotic. The hands closed the petri dish and held it. The gloved hands began to glow and the contents began to finish their reaction. Aura, a catalyst for many portions of life, from defense to attack it can be used for many different things. Jaune knew this, he knew this well. In Fact, his greatest tool as a healer is aura, but not for the reason that is commonly known. People treat aura as a crutch, they think it can protect them from anything, get shot don't worry aura has you covered, broken leg, you'll be fine once ever your aura kicks in, got an infection, aura will clean it in no time. The amount of settlements that thought that their lack of doctor was quickly handled by everyone having aura is impressive as it is stupid.

Jaune sighed to himself, his voice muffled by his mask, as he drew the contents from the petri dish. The liquid faintly glowing in the syringe as aura pulsed through it. He turned back to his patient, a young man who just turned 21, he was one of the miners in this region and hit a vein of some weird dust. The locals described the dust to be a sickly yellow, not like the radiant electric dust that they are used too. The dust was pale and once it was struck a haunting gas was produced, and he had managed to inhale most of it. The other miners where fine as they quickly got their rebreathers on, but this man was just unlucky. Jaune had been traveling when ever he had found this settlement up in Vale's mountains. When ever he entered and told the locals what he was (after they realized he wasn't a threat due to his appearance), he was quickly ushered to their "hospital" to see if he could assist the settlements "doctor". Jaune walked into the shack, a nice shack at that it had a dining table, a restroom, a stove, a cot, a small work area, and a guy dressed as a priest on his knees praying to whatever deity he believed in. After telling the priest to scram so he could work, Jaune was met with one of the weirdest cases he had ever seen. He was sick (no doubt Jaune), but not from just the dust in his lungs. The man was running a fever and it was a high one, his body was pale, in all honestly he looked like he had a cold and a bad one at that. Jaune pushed the needle into the man's arm, the contents flowing into his veins. Jaune watched as the glowing material dispersed throughout his circulatory system hoping that his hypothesis was right. After waiting an hour and sterilizing his equipment, Jaune checked the miner's temperature once more, 100.5 degrees fahrenheit, low fever but one that's quite better than his 106 one before.

The shack's door slowly opened as the priest walked in once more, "Excuse me, healer sir, I have brought you the vegetables and some meat but I am confused how will these foods bring brother Jeremiah to health?"

Jaune turned to the priest, standing a whole head above him,

"They won't", Jaune's muffled voice answered. "That's the first half of my payment", Jaune took the food and put it on the small desk before opening his arms wide "and this shack will be the second part". The priest seemed taken aback by Jaune's answer, but Jaune didn't care, as he grabbed a collapsible pot from his bag and put it on the small stove. The priest was about to leave in a huff when Jaune spoke again, "Also" Jaune started, turning away from the boiling water, "Go ahead and take Brother Jerimiah with you he's kinda taken up some room on the dining table.'' Jaune didn't even look away from the stove once as the Priest returned with two other locals to take the indisposed Jerimiah from his table.

Jaune sat down in the chair letting his stew cool down, he checked his watch seeing that it was barely a quarter past noon. He sighed once more, it seems that he had been doing that a lot today. As his stew cooled Jaune removed his overcoat, the black canvas material going in the other empty chair. He took off his bandolier of shotgun shells and placed them on the desk, He unholstered his shotgun (a trusty companion that fires 8 gauge shells that are perfect for putting down any grimm or dumbass that wants to try their luck) and placed it right next to the bandolier. Jaune undid the straps on his leg holster, keeping his pistol in it and placing it right next to his sawed off. Next to go was his belt, undoing the buckle he placed the belt that housed his grenades on the table. It had been a while since Jaune was able to let his equipment off, in the wilderness letting your weapons down was like rolling over and accepting death right then and there, but this settlement was safe, back water for sure but safe in its own right. Jaune sat down, his stew finally cool enough to enjoy, he removed his armored mask and began to eat. As he ate, he began to think about his next destination, or more so the lack thereof. He didn't have a settlement map of Vale, a topographic map sure, but no settlement map. Maybe the priest or whatever his name is has one, sure he could follow streams and see if he could find settlements that way but that could cost him a couple of shotgun shells or worse his life. Jaune sighed for the umpteenth time as he got up from his table and placed the bowl into the sink. It seemed to that Jaune had to face the facts, he was bored in a religious settlement in the mountains, thunder bellowed as lightning flashed through the sky, and it's raining too, great. There was nothing left for Jaune to do except maintain his gear.

"10 minuets until we land Headmaster" the pilot called from the cockpit. Ozpin stood up from his seat and looked out of the window. The settlement of Helm, one of the more prosperous settlements, it has many veins of dust that the settlers could mine and trade for goods. Helm is also one of the few open practicing religious settlements in Vale, but more importantly it is housing a particularly interesting medic that has been wondering Remnant. The stories started in Vacuo over three years ago, the detailed a traveler in a black overcoat armed to the teeth that had helped the tribes, trader, and settlements with some problems. The stories called him a miracle worker that was able to heal any injury. The tribes called him the young teacher, because after he healed he taught those interested some basic healing techniques. Then stories came from Atlas, the stories talked about the Black Cloaked soldier helping a group of specialist in the Mantle countryside route out some extreme White Fang members who have been conducting raids on Settlements deemed "Traitorous to the Cause", the tales describes his prowess in battle to be just as good as his healing abilities. Then came the stories from Mistral, the talked about curiously enough the Branwen and the healer that stared down the Raven. That story came from a settlement out west from Vale and some stories also said that the cloaked healer went with the tribe as well. But stories as they may be, there is truth in them, and that's what Ozpin wants to find out.

The bullhead touched down in a small clearing out side of the town walls, the rain battered against the hull as the door opened. Ozpin walked out of the vehicle and into the rain with his umbrella posted on his shoulder. A priest walked out of the front gate, his robes black and his umbrella matching as well.

Ozpin met the priest halfway and listened to him talk, "Greetings outsider, you bring quite an entrance to our humble village, but from the looks of it you are not here to trade might i ask you of your purpose?" The priest questioned.

"You are right on that note, my name is Headmaster Ozpin from Beacon, I have heard from a certain bird that you house quite an interesting individual, a man of medical standings I would presume". the priest's face tensed for a bit but then relaxed.

"Yes we do house an individual of such kind, but I must ask that if you host quarrel with him that you take it somewhere else." the priest responded back.

Ozpin was quick to dispelled the priest's worries "Don't worry, I have no ill will to this man, in fact i've come with an offer, a very generous on at that". The priest sensing no harmful intent from Ozpin stepped out of his way and lead one of the Village guard direct him to the healer.

Jaune sat at the table reading his book, Rangers of Passion it was called, a direct release in Vacuo from one of his favorite authors. Hey don't judge the man it can get lonely out on the road and if he needed some hot, Vacuan, smut then so be it. Plus the female bandit in the story is just right up his alley. Oh god does he have a thing for criminals, wait was this why his dad married his mom! Before he could continue his musing his door received three knocks, thank whatever god this village believes in that these people are polite, because the last thing he'd want for the village folk to see is him reading smut. He got up to answer the door, his left hand wrapped around the hilt of his bowie knife. Opening the door he saw someone definitely not from this village standing in the doorway, From his white hair, to his designer coat and sweater underneath this man definitely looked out of place and that meant one thing.

"Can I help you Huntsman, because if it isn't important, I'd like to get back to my room now". Jaune was met with a mirthful chuckle as the man invited himself inside (rude) and sat his umbrella next to the door, "Oh but it is important, especially to you mister Angel of The Dunes".

Jaune sighed, he hated the nickname that he had earned back in Vacuo but nonetheless this man knew him, now whether that was a good thingwas still up in the air, but either way his hand was staying on his blade.

"So it truly is you, quite lucky a man I am for finding you, I wanted to contact you earlier, especially whenever you healed one fo my associates back in Mistral but now I truly get the chance." Jaune was confused, this man tracked him down because he'd heard of him from some random guy that he had healed, just who is this nutcase.

"Listen sir, I've helped a lot of people in my days I'm afraid you'd have to be more specific."

Another chuckle passed his lips " My so modest, but I'd think he'd leave quite an impression, my associate Qrow Brawnwen" Jaune tried to hide his wince "He told me good things about you, and coming from him that must be some accomplishment." Jaune remembered who the man was talking about now, yep he was talking about the tall drunk with a broken leg out in the middle of a forest. The amount of grimm he was drawing in was quite high and Jaune had defended his depressed ass until everything was dead.

"I remember who you are talking about, but I don't think you came all the way out here just to give me a pat on the back." the man took a seat and Jaune followed suite as Ozpin began to speak, " You are right, my name is Headmaster Ozpin from Beacon academy and I have come here to give you a proposition." That had caught Jaune off guard for many reasons, first being that the Headmaster of one of the most prestigious Hunter schools tracked him down, and secondly that he has something for him.

Jaune said nothing and motioned Ozpin to continue speaking, "Your tales, no matter if they are inflated or not hold some truth, and when you win over a man like Qrow you have got to be doing something right. So here I am to offer you something." Jaune nodded his head, the chance to work a job from the Headmaster himself is a good way to open up even more avenues for him. "Well Headmaster, you have my attention, fire away." Jaune said putting his elbows on the chair leaning into the table. Ozpin just grinned before proceeding

"My proposition is simple, I want you to come to my school", Ozpin held up his hand before Jaune could interrupt him,"I want you at my school not as a Student, but more so as Beacon's first ever Field Medic." Now Jaune really couldn't hold his smile anymore, this was the chance he had been waiting for, a new light on his journey, and damn him if wasn't going to take it.

Jaune stood up, walked over to the now standing Ozpin and held out his hand, " Arc, the name is Jaune Arc, and you sir have got yourself a new medic." Ozpin smiled as he shook Jaune's gloved hand, "I expect great things from you Mister Arc, great things." Jaune smirked as he met Ozpin's eyes, "And I will make sure you get them, Arc's Oath sir".


End file.
